Fluffy Lockner Moments
by DynamoxLockhart
Summary: Diane & Will one-shots. Yes, some are friendship and some are romance.
1. Kiss Cam

**Of course Diane & Kurt are my OTP but I have always shipped Diane & Will, so I'm going to start writing little one-shots of them every now and then and post them here. Some may be lover fics, some may be friendship fics. **

**I own nothing, just a creative mind... Hope you enjoy!**

-o0o-

Hockey matches are very noisy and aggressive events, at least in Diane's opinion. People scream, people yell, people push, people spill drinks and food everywhere. And tonight, a very massive and rude man sitting in the row behind them keeps dropping his beer over her, and now her hair is wet, her designer shirt's collar is sticky and drops of cheap alcohol keep rolling down the back and sides of her neck. Even Will swapped seats with her, although he's been quite busy screaming angrily at the referee along with the rest of the crowd.

As always Diane tells herself that this is the last time she will let Will drag her down to watch those men slide over some patch of ice, fight over one tiny black rubber circle and tackle each other violently into the band. Will says they have to do it as part of "living a normal life", but he's obviously enjoying himself, screaming and jumping and trying to explain to Diane all the complicated rules and penalties. The only thing Diane actually likes is the very, very nice break from work with a very dear friend, even as much as she loves work. But everyone needs a break, right?

The only reason why Diane comes back every time, the only reason why even if she says she won't come back she still does - in spite of the beer and the screams and the rude people - is because Will asks her to come. It's something that they share, it's something that Will wants to share with her and her alone. Apparently Jonas made it clear a long time ago that he doesn't care for sports events, and when Will was first hired she felt a dislike to him, but overtime they began to talk and then it led on to the bond and friendship they have now. Not that it's the perfect friendship, the arguments, disagreements, tiffs they have, at the end of the day, he has her and she has him. Well, that's how it fell on Diane to be dragged along with an overenthusiastic Will every time they can afford to take time off work. And despite knowing that for Will she's just like an older sister and nothing more, Diane still cherishes these moments spent with him.

Will jumps out of his seat for the hundredth time of the night as the loud, annoying sound of the end of period resonates in the stadium. Diane sits back, squirming, shivering slightly because of how damn cold it is in here, especially now that she's damped in cheap and smelly beer. Will notices her shudder when he sits back next to her, eyes sparkling and tapping nervously on his thighs as he comments on the last shot, "a freaking close one. Are you alright?"

"Yeah." Diane smiled and he looked back at the game. Will always seemed a bit more nervous during the breaks, talking a lot but never really looking directly at her. He usually leaves to go get a drink or some cheap burger, of course Diane wouldn't touch anything but her bottle of water as much as Will protested, or to go to the toilet or to stretch his legs, finding any excuse he can to get on his feet and walk around. But when he comes back he sits even closer to Diane, leaning over and speaking right into her ear, nervous smiles and fidgeting fingers.

Tonight he comes back right as the "kiss cam" time starts strolling through the crowd. Apart from Will's enthusiasm, surprisingly the kissing camera is the only other thing Diane really enjoys at hockey games. It makes her smile to see those giant faces go from surprised to excited, to see people turn toward one another with sparks in their eyes, open their arms and then lean over to kiss their loved one... Or a complete stranger maybe, but it doesn't matter. It makes Diane's heart warm to see all those smiles, all the love. The giggles, the excitement, the shyness, so many beautiful human emotions caught inside that pink heart shape.

"Why do they even bother with that thing? It's stupid." Will huffs as he drops in the seat beside Diane, watching yet another couple kissing in high definition. "Poor folks probably don't even like each other."

Diane doesn't answer. She feels her chest tighten as she shivers again, listening to Will chuckle beside her, shaking his head and looking away from the screen. Diane knows Will sees her as just a friend, as a sister even and it's fine, but to know that the camera recording the cute kisses on the screen could turn to them at any point, Diane couldn't help but feel her heart sink down somewhere near her bellybutton.

Will finally notices something is wrong and he turns towards Diane, a hand automatically landing on her firm thigh. "You okay?"

Diane opens her mouth to answer...and that's when the spotlights hit them.

Her brain goes blank as Will's face loses all its colours, and they both turn to see their giant faces now projected on the four-faced screen in the middle of the stadium. People start screaming, thousands of eyes turning toward them as the camera zooms even closer. Diane and Will both look at each other with sheer panic, Will's hand somehow still clutched onto her leg.

Diane couldn't breathe, couldn't move, and each second that passed seemed to stretch like hours and the cam just wouldn't move, the echos of the loud commentaries ringing in their ears.

"COME ON GUYS, GIVE IT UP FOR THE PEOPLE! THEY WANT TO SEE YOU KISS, I WANT TO SEE YOU KISS, DON'T BE SO SHY!"

Everything is so loud, waves of excited screams hitting them over and over, and Diane feels someone nudge her from behind, everyone cheering for them to just kiss. Will looks more scared than Diane has ever seen him, eyes round like marbles and jolting around the stadium, searching for an exit, a helping hand, anything to get him out, his mouth half opened like he wants to scream for help but he can't. It wasn't the thought of the kiss cam on him, it was who he had to kiss. He loved Diane, don't get him wrong, but not in any sexual way. He admired her, respected her and even looked up to her, so to kiss her in front of thousands of people, that's a completely different story.

On the other hand, Diane couldn't stand it. They're friends, not lovers. People obviously know who they are. For the love of God, David Lee or Cary could be home watching the game, and what would they do if they saw their bosses, all the time thought to be best friends, actually making out on the kiss cam of a hockey game? Well if those people in the audience are waiting, they can keep on waiting, their will be no kiss, or so Diane thinks.

"What do we do?" Diane whispered just enough for him to hear, leaning over to Will's side in a desperate attempt to be heard over the tumult. "They will not stop! Maybe we should leave or-"

Will doesn't let her finish. Hazel irises blink in front of Diane for a second and then Will grabs her face and pulls her forward, crashing their mouths together as the crowd goes wild.

Diane doesn't even hear them. She doesn't hear anything actually, doesn't feel anything except Will's hot mouth against hers. And his hand on her cheek, and his spicy smell, and Diane feels like she's about to lose it. Her lips move on their own, sliding against Will and then parting, teeth digging into his flesh and she unconsciously grabs on to the muscly shoulders to bring him closer. Will doesn't back off, quite the opposite, hand sliding around Diane's waist and the other one sliding into her golden hair, not letting her pull back either.

Diane literally melts when he slides his tongue between her teeth, and luckily everything around them is far too noisy for her moans to be audible. She vaguely hears the echo of the surprised commentaries through the thunder of the crowd, but it's all very far away. Will is kissing her, kissing her for real, kissing and holding her and pressing her against his body in front of everyone like he doesn't even care.

When they finally break apart, panting and still mere inches from each other, the alarm announcing the beginning of second period is blasting in their ears. To Diane's surprise Will is grinning wide, mouth blood red and eyes blown up. He's looking at her trying to catch his breath, and then seems to dive in for another kiss but deviates and presses his nose against Diane's cheek, fingers playing in her hair. Diane placed her hands on his chest but hasn't gotten the strength to push him away and just lets him take over. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, trying to wrap her mind about what is happening. This is better than heaven.

"Diane, are you?..." Will takes a sniff of Diane's neck, quickly followed by a wet lick. "You're covered in beer. We gotta clean you up." he adds cheekily, and that's when he just starts kissing her neck.

In front of everyone, in the middle of the stadium while the Blackhawks are fighting for the play-offs, Will nips and licks and sucks on Diane's neck, nuzzling into her hair and biting on her collarbones, wiping away with his mouth and tongue every single drop of beer on her skin. Diane feels her body cover in goosebumps as Will finds his way back to her mouth, and he abandons himself between the gentle hands and the soft kisses.

The rest of the game is completely lost to them both, but Will doesn't seem to care. They miss the hat round, they miss the 7th goal, they miss the mascot falling, and they miss the camera showing glimpses of their passionate make out session and blowing them up in HD for everyone to see. The upside is that the guy behind them is now very, very careful of where he spills his beer.

Not to mention the one downside apart from every hockey fan and anyone watching the game is probably watching their make out session, but when they enter the firm tomorrow morning after they get off the elevator together.

-o0o-

 **Reviews and ideas are welcome.**

 **Thanks for reading :)**


	2. Seduction With A Shirt

"Hey, have you seen my shirt?" Will called out while he picked up various items of their earlier discarded clothing which were strewn around the floor of their hotel room.

Exiting the bathroom, Diane leaned against the door frame and crossed her leg in front of the other. "You mean this shirt?"

Glancing across at where she stood, he expected her to be holding the garment out for him to take. Instead, she was wearing it and, he had to say, she looked incredible in the simple white dress shirt which despite swamping her petite form still afforded him a terrific view of her delectable curves thanks to the fact she'd only done up a few of the buttons.

"Will?"

"Huh?"

Diane laughed. "Is this the shirt you were talking about?"

"You know it is," he said, closing the short distance between them. "I'm going to need it back."

Pushing herself up onto her tiptoes, she brushed her lips against his. "Come back to bed and it's all yours."

"That's what it's going to take for me to get it back?"

"Yep." Sliding her arms up his chest, she wound them around his neck and cupped the back of his head, gently directing his face towards hers. She sighed into his mouth when she felt his hands slip beneath the hem of the shirt, his thumbs slowly stroking along her lower back. They kissed hungrily, practically devouring one another. Without breaking apart, Diane managed to walk them towards the unmade bed and she giggled against his lips when Will unceremoniously fell backwards onto it.

"Okay… ow!" Something sharp was digging into his hip and, shifting slightly, he pulled out the belt he'd only a few minutes ago retrieved from the floor and placed onto the bed.

"Aw, poor William," she cooed, continuing to laugh as he rubbed the area. "Want me to kiss it better?"

"Yes," he replied, trying his best to look serious but failed miserably.

Keeping her gaze locked on his, she began unfastening the buttons on her – _his_ – shirt, liking the way his eyes darkened as more of her body was revealed. Before she could remove it completely, Will sat up and pulled her in closer to him so she was standing right between his legs.

"Let me," he whispered, his voice thick with lust. Reaching up, he slowly pushed the fabric off her shoulders and watched as the sleeves slid down her slender arms; the unbuttoned cuffs easily clearing her hands.

Ducking her head, Diane nuzzled her nose against his before their lips met once more.

His arms wrapped securely around her waist and Will leaned backwards onto the bed, taking her with him. His tongue firmly in his cheek, he couldn't resist saying, "As good as you looked wearing that shirt, it looks much better on the floor."

"Oh God… Are you seriously using that cheesy line on me?" she asked in between fits of laughter.

"What?" he said, laughing along with her. "I thought you'd like that one."

The sound of his laughter never failed to stir something deep within her. For a long time because of a certain person she thought she'd never see him smile again let alone hear him laugh which was why she relished playful moments like these all the more, even if they weren't intimate such as when they were at the firm. In front of everyone else, they were law firm partners, best friends. At night they were lovers. "I do," she told him, "especially since I completely agree."

Closing her eyes, she savored the feel of him trailing his fingers up and down her back and, slipping a hand between them, she popped the button on his pants and lowered the zipper. When her eyes met his again, she flashed him an innocent smile. "What? I'm just trying to level the playing field since I'm feeling a little under-dressed now."

"I didn't say a word," he retorted, flipping her over onto her back and fusing their mouths together.

Diane's last thought before she completely lost herself to the blissful pleasure being bestowed upon her was that if wearing his clothes was this much of a turn on for Will, she'd make sure to borrow a lot more of his stuff from now on.

-o0o-

 **Thank you to the two guests who reviewed on my first chapter and thank you so much MarySunshine81 for your review! It's means so much coming from an amazing writer like you! Thank you all so much xx**

 **PS: Reviews are welcomed and thanks for reading :)**


	3. A Drunken Request

**Hey guys! Just to let y'all know, I'll try** **to** **update this every time I write a ficlet :)**

-o0o-

"Will, you're drunk."

He looked up at her with hazy eyes, a clumsy laugh hitching at the edges of his mouth.

"I'm perfectly sober, Miss Lockhart," he said, even as his words slurred into each other. He raised his glass in a friendly invitation, but she took it from his tactless fingers and set it down on his desk gently.

"It's time to go home," she announced and the bridge of his nose crinkled as he pouted. "No. I'm not falling for that. Come on."

He was taller than her, and heavier, but she lugged him up from his leather chair behind his desk, wreathing his arm around her shoulders.

"Do I really have to drag you down to the car park and drive you home, and then upstairs to your bed, or do your legs still work?" she grumbled.

He gave her a radiant smile, the kind of stupidly joyful grin that only alcohol could elicit. "My dear lady, if I had known you were that desperate for my affections…"

She kicked him lightly in the shin and he slightly took a jump backwards.

"What was that for?"

"We're friends, you dumbass. I'm not desperate for anyone's affections."

"Yeah," he sighed happily, tilting his head to nuzzle into her neck.

"Your breath smells awful."

"Mm."

She rolled her eyes. "What an inspiring lawyer."

With some difficulty, she hauled him over to the couch instead and dumped him onto the cushions, except that he had stubbornly clung to her sleeve and she ended up falling face-first on top of him. His arms came up to encircle her in an embrace that was a little too tight, but endearing in its own way, especially when he pressed his nose into the crown of her head.

"Love you," he mumbled into her hair.

"Oh dear god..." Her voice was muffled against him, and she could feel his chest rumble when he laughed. He kissed her forehead sloppily.

"I'm the definition of smooth," he replied seriously.

She wriggled out of his grip and sat upright, balancing on his waist. "Not with that form of speech, you're not." She cupped his cheeks and gently shook them to try and knock some sense into him.

When she pulled away and tried to get off him, he wrapped around her again, one arm remaining by her lower back and the other up by her shoulder blades. "Don't go," he pleaded quietly.

She probably could have escaped if she really wanted to, but she gave up and submitted herself to his hold.

"I have a special request for you." Will whispered and Diane curiously watched him. "Come here." He whispered again and she sighed.

"Will. I'm sitting right on top of you. I think I'm close enough to you at this point."

"But this is a very, _very_ special request."

"And we are the only people here." Diane acknowledged him and he carelessly shrugged.

"If you don't come closer, then I will." He slurred and she chuckled at his failed attempts to sit up.

"Then go ahead. Sit up." Diane challenged and grinned as he continued to fail all his attempts to sit up.

"I need to tell you what it is." He struggled and Diane couldn't resist another chuckle but in the end grabbed onto his shirt and pulled him up.

"Tell me so." Diane requested and Will stared up at her. Although he was drunk he never imagined having Diane Lockhart sitting on his lap, legs on either sides of his and her skirt rising up every time he or she moved, neither did he imagine her holding onto his shirt and almost making their chests touch.

Will remained silent, and slid is hand from her shoulder blades up to the back of her neck and lowered her head slowly, and kissed her. He hummed low in his throat with satisfaction, hands coming back down to rest on her hips as she placed hers on his shoulders, letting him softly taste her.

When the kiss finished, it left them both breathless. As they quietly panted, they let their foreheads touch and closed their eyes. They stayed in that position until Diane had half regained her composure and was again about to get off him but he held her down.

"That request..was for you to stay." He whispered, and Diane took a moment of thought on what to do, and glanced at the clock on his office wall. 12 pm. She had no reason to go home to an empty apartment at this time of night.

She eased herself down against Will's chest as he lay down flat on his back again, and rolled off him, landing in the small area between his body and the back of the couch. She planted a soft kiss on his cheek before draping her leg over and in between his. Her head resting over his heart and his hand gradually came to wrap around her waist. When she fell asleep, she could have sworn she never felt so comfortable sleeping next to a man. Especially when that man meant so much more to her than any other man she knew besides her father.

-o0o-

 **I wanna thank MarySunshine81 again for her lovely review! And to anyone else who reviews in the future, thank you! I hope you like the fics so far and I hope I don't disappoint.**

 **Reviews are welcome :)**


	4. Clumsy Dancing

It was around ten at night when Diane heard the music. She'd been sitting in her leather chair, feet up and ankles crossed, exposing her muscled and toned legs from the black dress as she let them rest on her desk, looking out the window at a beautifully lit Chicago night, relaxing after a tiring but successful day. There was the ghost of a smile on her face, lost in thought, when the voice of John Lennon wafted through the hall, past her closed door and into her office. The lyrics were muffled, but she recognised the tune instantly. Curious, she pulled her legs down from the table, and smoothened her dress as she walked out to the hall, about to open Will's office door when she was stopped by a voice behind her call her name.

"David?" Diane turned to find the shorter man standing by her secretary's desk.

"What is that awful racket? I've been trying to work on this file for the past hour." He waved a file in front of her.

"Will found an old record player." Diane said, her brow furring as she watched him throw the file onto her secretary's desk and slide his hands into his pants pockets, "I lent him some old Beatle records I had."

"Wait, what Beatles records?"

"My, Beatles records," She explained and hesitated, not sure what to say from all the dubious questions he was asking.

"And he didn't take it home with him because?.." Another stupid question from David and Diane resisted an eye roll.

"Because he wanted to play music here, okay David?" Diane sarcastically answered, the music softly weaving around them.

"Of course. But the real question is how did Will know how to set up a record player?"

"I showed him." She answered nonchalantly and shrugged, "He's got it all figured out. You can go see it if you want."

"I think I'll pass." David told her and Diane smiled.

"Suit yourself." On that she turned on her black stiletto heel and pushed Will's office door open, the music growing louder and clearer, Diane perfectly able to tell the song 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' was playing, and she figured he probably wouldn't hear her until she spoke.

"Will." She called out. Immediately, she saw his chair spin around and watched him staring at the old player intently, as if he was inspecting it, causing her to chuckle, "Having fun?"

Will turned his attention to her, a smile lighting up his face, "A lot."

"I didn't know you liked The Beatles."

"Neither did I," He replied and, once the track ended, he stood up, his eyes glimmering with a certain emotion Diane couldn't place a name on.

"Well, at least you got good taste."

Just then 'I Saw Her Standing There' began playing, and Will offered his hand, outstretching it towards Diane. Her eyes dropped to his hand and back up to his, sending Will a quizzical look.

"Would you like to dance? This song is my favorite so far."

"Dance?" Diane asked, surprised, and Will's face fell.

"Well, we have danced multiple times before, have we not?"

"Well, yeah." Diane widened her eyes playfully, and after another moment of silence, Diane took his hand.

"Alright, good to know you do know how to dance." Will teased with a smile.

"I'm a woman, Will, of course I do."

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and he pulled Diane against him, listening to her heartwarming laughter.

Will's left hand joined with Diane's right, and the other rested on the small of her back, Diane's gradually sliding over his shoulder and resting behind his neck. They instinctively moved to the beat.

"Have you ever danced drunk before?"

"How are you a lawyer?" Diane asked and he looked at her with a confused expression on his face.

"What?"

"Derrick Bond?..Dancing in my office?..Two bottles of scotch?..Terrible hangovers?.."

"I mean with someone else." Will explained and she nodded, thinking.

"I don't recall."

"We both end up falling when we get drunk, like last time, I fell, pulled you down with me.."

"Destroyed my dress, hysterically laughed, continued falling." Diane carried on and they then began their clumsy dancing, Will nearly purposely tripping her every once in a while. As the end of the song neared, Will decided to hell with it, and flung Diane, only holding onto her by their joined hands, and she curled back in, her back to Will momentarily, until she was spun again, and they were face to face again. The song was over then, almost on cue, and their uneven breaths were the only sound in the room. Diane had never been so close to her best friend, lips only inches apart. And Will wasn't sure what to do or what he wanted to do. In the background, 'Yellow Submarine' was playing and, for some reason, the reassuring sound of Ringo Starr pushed him to take Diane's face in his hand and kiss her. It wasn't rushed or heated; it was sweet and soft and everything Diane or Will had never done or experienced together. Their senses were invaded with each other and for the first time, strangely enough, everything seemed okay. Diane breathed out, pulling away for air, Will refusing to let her hand go as she dropped it in front of her, shaking her head.

"That was,.. sudden." Diane said and glanced at their hands before awkwardly making eye contact with his smiling face.

"I can fix that," Will replied and tugged her hand gently, pulling her to him and again they were kissing, lips sliding gently against each other, music slowly drowning in the background.

"Sorry for being stupid and not telling you sooner.." Will murmured, separating their mouths momentarily.

"It's okay." Diane reassured easily.

"I waited a long time. I was just scared; I thought you'd turn me down." Will chuckled, shaking his head at his stupidity.

"Will. When could I ever say no to you?"

"In that case, would you like to dance again?"

Diane laughed and nodded, realising 'Let It Be' was now playing. This time, Will placed his hands around Diane's waist, and Diane wrapped her arms around Will's neck. They swayed back and forth slowly, the same thought running through their minds:

 _Why did I let myself miss out on this for years?_

But it was okay, because now they were together and that was all that mattered.


	5. What Happened Last Night?

-o0o-

Diane Lockhart woke up with a splitting headache, next to a naked man, in a bed that was not hers.

It was not a good start to a day. And the fact that the bed belonged to the man in question, her partner and best friend Will Gardner, made it a whole lot worse.

Rather than wake him up she panicked, got up, got dressed and fled.

They had been drinking in one of their favourite downtown bars. It had been a hard week for the both of them and they had wanted to loosen up and have some fun.

It was all hazy after that. Diane remembered kissing and white sheets and whispers on her skin. How they got from the bar to Will's room was blurry and everything after that came in snippets and flickers.

After leaving Will alone, asleep and nude she had rushed back to her apartment and spent the past few hours freaking out.

She had had sex with her best friend.

 _And it was good._

Oh Lord.

She tried to do some work but she couldn't concentrate. She tried to watch TV but the noise hurt her hungover head. She kept her phone next to her at all times and its silence was deafening. No word from him, no call, no text. He had to be awake by now. She tried to send him a message but she had no idea of what to say.

They'd have to see each other at the firm tomorrow. What on Earth would she say? What would this mean for their friendship? It wasn't just the sex that was the problem.

The real worry here was that from what she could remember, she had rolled around in bed like she loved him. Her every moan had felt like a declaration, each whimper had been a confession.

He had to know now. He had to know about it. That was more terrifying than any drunken shag.

Would he ever want to be her friend again?

Eventually she noticed the stench of sex and sweat that clung to her and decided to take a shower, to clear both her body and her mind. She headed into the bathroom and stripped. She took off her clothes as clinically as possible, trying to forget the last time she'd taken them off and left them crumpled on _his_ floor.

She turned towards the towel rack and gasped. She could see herself reflected in the mirror that hung above her sink. On her chest was a series of bruises, each one having been bestowed upon her by Will's mouth.

It wasn't the vivid purple that shocked her or the fact she would be able to wear anything with a low neckline for a few days.

The bruises formed the shape of a heart. A messy, uneven heart but a heart all the same. And it was placed over her own. There were a couple others nestled on her skin along her collarbones but she barely gave them a glance.

She stayed there for several minutes, transfixed, and for once, dared to hope.

That hope fluttered nervously and shortly began to take seed. When it did, she broke out of her reverie and leaped into the shower. She scrubbed herself as quickly as possible and whilst she did, it began to grow.

She ran out, threw on some clean clothes and high tailed it down to her car and across town to Will's home.

She had to let him know.

Before she could compose herself and think of what she was going to say, her hand was knocking on his door and it was opening.

When he pulled open the door, he gazed at her in surprise.

"Diane…" He looked scruffy, in a t-shirt and sweatpants. He looked tired, hadn't washed, and his hair was still strewn on his head from where she had twirled and tugged at it the night before.

"We should probably talk." She said, sounding far more steady than she felt.

"Yeah. Yeah you're right." He moved to let her in and she did. She walked past him and sat awkwardly on the armchair in the living room. He sat on his couch across from her.

"So we er…" He began.

"We had sex, Will." She said it for him. The tips of his ears and his cheeks flushed red and he looked down at his hands, which were pressed together.

"Yeah. We did." He looked up again. "What's that?" He asked suddenly. Diane followed his line of sight and looked down.

She wondered what he was on about and then realised what he meant. One of her love bites was poking up over her top. Damn blouse she inwardly cursed.

"Did I..?" He answered his own question before she could. "I'm so sorry."

In reply she took the neckline and pulled it down exposing the whole heart on the top of her own.

"Oh God." He moaned and buried his face in his hands. "Oh no."

"Will." She tried to get his attention. "Will this put me in a bit of a situation." He didn't look up.

"I'm not sure how to act around you now." Distressed muffles came from his hands.

"Especially as I'm seeing someone else." There. She'd said it.

His head whipped up. "You're…"

"And I'm not sure how you feel and it's all strange now, especially as we've had sex but you're also my best friend and that is important to me, but there also is the new man in my life."

He cut her off with a kiss.

And oh what a kiss.

To reach her mouth he had to get off the couch and go over to the chair. He'd then had to position his knees oddly to reach her mouth. In such a position a kiss could never last long.

But it didn't stop it being magnificent.

They broke apart and Diane just stared with wide eyes.

"Who did you say was this new man?"

"You want to know?" Diane asked after allowing herself to exhale the breath she had been holding.

"Nah. He doesn't bother me."

"I see." Diane let the corner of her lips curl up, "Well then, screw Malcolm Overby."

With that, she pulled him forward to kiss her again.

-o0o-

 **This is a bit different in a way but still hope you enjoy it.**

 **I wanna take the chance since I mightn't get on here until the new year but Merry Christmas everyone :)**

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **Reviews are welcome :)**


	6. Home Base

Diane tried and failed not to glare towards a laughing Will, who was maybe ten feet away. "This is most decidedly not humorous!"

"S-Sorry," Will chuckled. "It's just... you can't hit a ball to save your life."

Diane most assuredly did huff in that moment. "Must you stand so far away?"

"Diane, pitchers stand further away than this!"

"And, as we have proven, I am failing at this sport," She replied. "So, unless you would like to continue pitching until sundown, please step forward."

Will laughed, but obliged. He moved forward until he was nearing five feet away from her. Diane was more confident about this. Surely she couldn't miss from this distance.

"Alright," she said, curling his fingers tightly around the bat. The smooth exterior of the bat was pleasant against her hands, although she gathered that most professionals wore gloves and used bats made of aluminium.

She shifted into stance - something Will had taught her - and raised the bat to her shoulder. "Alright," she repeated, focussing on the ball. "I'm ready."

"Positive?"

"Positive," she declared, tightening her grip on the bat. Her fingers hurt. So did her arm. She was determined.

"Right. Here it comes."

Diane followed the ball's movements, watched it leave Will's hand, and swung in what she thought was the proper timing to hit the ball. She instead hit only air, the sound of the bat cutting through it whooshing into her ears.

Now as well as determined, she was frustrated. She had a few stern words hammering the inside of her skull at that current time.

"This is most irksome," she said out loud, turning on her heel to retrieve the ball that had blew past her. Will wasn't even throwing it that hard, yet she still lacked the ability to hit it. "Again," she called, raising her voice.

She curled her fingers around the ball and threw it back, pressing each of her fingers into her palm briefly as a means of controlling her emotions. Baseball was not an emotional sport. She had to be calm, and collected.

"At least you can pitch," Will said, having to jump to catch the ball. "You've got a good arm."

"I would like to possess the ability to use my arms to hit this infernal ball," Diane muttered, again returning to her stance.

"Wait." Will dropped the ball and ran towards her, stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her, tightening his grip on the bat in her hands. "On the count of three, we're going to swing. Okay? One. Two. Three." Will helped her swing the bat and she allowed him to repeat this a few more times before she was confident she could do it herself.

"I am relaxed, I am focussed, I am one with the bat," she continued, this time to herself. "I possess control over my actions. I will learn to hit a baseball."

Will threw the ball again.

There was something exceedingly satisfying about the crack of the bat meeting the ball. The vibrations shook all the way to her fingers as the ball flew across the field.

"Did I?" Diane looked at the bat in her hand, blinking in surprise. She'd hit the ball. She really had hit the ball.

"Run!"

Diane looked up again; Will was running for the ball she'd just hit. She knew this part of the game. After hitting the ball, the batter then tried to run to first, second, or third, in that order, and if their hit was a very good one, rounding back to 'home plate' before the outfield team could get to the base with the ball. She also knew that Will was humouring her now, since they were not actually playing a real game.

Nevertheless, she smiled to herself and glanced at her tight pants and stilettos. "I think I'll pass."

"Drop the bat and run!" He shouted but she didn't look up and checked her watch.

"Like hell I–"

A playful scream burst through the warm sunset air as Will scooped her into his arms and spun her around.

"Next time," he placed her down as she laughed, "Wear something simple like me maybe." He told her playfully, gesturing towards his tracksuit and sneakers.

"Aha, don't worry, Will. There won't be a next time."


	7. We're Not To Go Near Coffee

Diane was staring out the window of her office, a file in her hand, trying to figure out what was happening with their latest case. It was early in the morning, but around the time that Will usually got in. She liked it when it was quiet and they came in. She liked the private moments between them. Especially when they got to tease and drink together in their offices. She turned her head towards a sound coming from outside her office and smiled. "Morning Will."

"Hey, wonderful weather isn't it," Will said, mocking the dull sky that continued to rain and she smiled. He offered her a mug of coffee and she closed the file, placed it on her desk and took it gratefully. He cocked his head towards the file and sighed. "Anything?"

"Everything is hitting a dead end," Diane replied and sat on the edge of her desk. "There's no record of Douglas being in contact with Nancy. There are no common interests or places that they went to."

"Not even a coffee shop or bar?" Will asked.

"Nope," Diane said with a bit of a sigh. "What do you think of this Will? Honestly."

"I don't think I can think of anything. What if we get Kalinda out. She has a way of getting what we need."

"That's a good idea." Diane nodded and took a sip of her coffee. "Our client is accusing someone of killing his fiancé, but now that we've looked into this, the person they've accused, in this case Douglas, was killing randomly and without any real motive. Could be that he's gone insane or he was given orders. There's no trace, so there might be OCD in play here. Canning will use this. But what's stranger is that Nancy wasn't his fiancé she was Burkes, so why is he saying–"

Will cut her off, moving forward and just kissing her. He didn't want to hear the rest of what she was going to say. He didn't care that she dropped her coffee and it splattered all over his pants. All he knew is that he kissed her and let go just as they needed to breathe. "No mentioning this to anyone," he whispered.

"I–um–okay," Diane said, exhaling and opening her eyes slowly to look at Will. She looked flushed as Will moved away from her and towards the window, cleaning his pants.

He smiled as he watched Diane out of the corner of his eye. She picked up the empty mug and placed it on her desk before walking into her bathroom. She closed the door and leaned against it before grabbing some tissue and walking out again. She hesitated for a moment before helping him. Once finished she walked towards her office door and turned. "Do you...want more coffee?"

"Sure." He smiled and she turned on her heel. Never had she felt so embarrassed because of a man before.

When she walked back into her office with the two mugs, she offered him one and looked at him. "I didn't mean to spill the last cup on you."

"It was worth it."

"Will.." She didn't know what to say but she knew that this was something they couldn't do.

He put his mug down on the table and she stared at him, silently, but she knew he understood. Or she thought so anyways.

He reached for her free hand and pulled her closer again, kissing her a bit deeper this time and it happened again. She spilt her coffee.

"Oh dear." She breathed out, forgetting what she'd been telling herself and chuckling as the coffee stained his white shirt. Remnants of the liquid soaked through her black dress and burned her skin.

"I can't win, can I?" He chuckled and took the coffee cup that was squashed between their bodies. "Now, without any spillage."

He kissed her once more and she gave in, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. "Tonight, after we're done here?" He asked before placing a quick kiss on her lips again.

"Sure," Diane smiled as she looked up at him.

"And wherever we go, we're not to go near coffee."

Diane laughed heartily before nodding and giving him an agreeing kiss.


	8. Peppermint

**Thanks everyone for the reviews on this little series. Sorry I haven't updated this lately, I'm running out of ideas.. Anyways, thanks to my friends on Twitter who helped me decide on what to write. You know who you guys are 3 This mightn't be completely associated with cooking, but it is fluffy, or so I think. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Diane Lockhart looked chilled to the bone when she appeared on the doorstep of Will's home, her scarf pushed up to cover her mouth and her gloved hands shoved into her jacket pockets. Melting snowflakes made her hair glisten like the innards of icicles and dotted the shoulders of her jacket like pins of honor, sparkling as they seeped into the wool of her red pea coat; already, her car boasted a thin layer of white.

He ushered her inside before the heat creeped from the house and was devoured by icy teeth, noting the entire way her body shuddered in relief at the warmth.

"It's absolutely freezing out there," She said as she stepped through the door. "I almost decided to work from home today. I didn't want to leave my bed this morning. When am I ever like that?"

"Never, but the forecast said it would drop below minus eight with the wind chill." He helped her shrug her layers off and hung them in the closet, pushing her scarf and mittens into the sleeve of her jacket, and noting with a smile that the rosy flush of her cold cheeks matched the fabric of her coat.

Diane stretched her frozen muscles, rolling her shoulders to work some heat back into them. "I know, but I just can't get over how cold it is. I don't think it's ever been this cold."

"I'm surprised you came to visit me rather than heading home."

Her lips twisted into a teasing smile. "Would you be offended if I told you that I only stopped by for your fireplace?"

"Oh, I'd be wounded. But, if you follow me to the kitchen, I'll make you something to drink while you warm up."

Smiling, she followed him through the house, peering into the living and dining rooms as they walked.

Will's kitchen was unadorned but was, thankfully, a den of warmth; between the heat cast by the oven and the light leaking in from the study where the fireplace glowed, the entire room had a stifling, sleepy quality to it that Diane wished she could wrap herself in. She watched the snow fall lazily outside as Will moved between cupboards gathering up the supplies for whatever he was making.

"It's been snowing for a few hours now," She commented after a minute. Little towers of snow were fortifying themselves along the panes of his windows, stretching up to kiss the glass and paint streaks of frost on its surface.

"It's supposed to continue through the night." Will set his supplies down on the counter.

From the pantry he pulled a bar of chocolate covered in gold foil, which crinkled as he unwrapped it. Setting the bar down on the cutting board, he began to cut it into neat little squares, occasionally pushing the pieces into a little mound at the corner of the cutting board with his knife.

"You would be welcome to stay the night here if you'd like; I'm sure that the drive home will be heinous with the weather."

A little shiver ran through her. "I might take you up on that offer, thank you."

She couldn't yet figure out what this relationship was—were they trying to make a go of it, or was it merely an affair?—but it pleased her nonetheless that Will sought out her company. Made her feel slightly fuzzy and champagne-light, if she was being honest. She met his easy smile with one of her own, her eyes trailing from the window to the range.

She watched as he scooped the chocolate squares up, dumped them into pan that he had set to heat on the stove, and then fetched a bottle of milk from the fridge.

"Are you making me hot chocolate?" she asked as he measured some of the rich liquid out into the pot.

"Yep. My father had a horrible sweet tooth, and he'd often make us hot cocoa once the weather turned cold. He always insisted that it must be homemade—none of those prepackaged powders. The recipe has stuck with me over the years. I always thought that hot drinks were better when they were made for someone else; they're sweeter, perhaps."

"Mmm. I don't think I've ever had anything but Swiss Miss."

"This will be richer," He explained. "The melted chocolate and the milk make for a creamier drink and a smoother flavor. It's heavy, hopefully it will tide you over until dinner." He smiled as she walked over to stand by his side.

One of her hands slid up to rest between his shoulder blades, and her fingers rubbed little circles against his back as she peered into the pot, admiring the way that the melting chocolate made delicate brown streaks on the creamy canvas of the milk. Gently, Will stirred the mixture and the color spread, staining the white milk a rich and warm brown.

When he was confident that the chocolate had melted evenly throughout, he stirred in a pinch of sugar and added a small splash of vanilla extract. By now the hot cocoa bubbled gently, and little tendrils of steam curled up from the surface.

"It smells delicious," Diane nodded.

She couldn't decide if it was the chocolate or the vanilla extract that was giving the drink its smooth and sweet aroma; the natural heaviness of the milk's odor sat underneath it all, serving as a tether to prevent the sugary scent from becoming noxiously sweet.

"Thank you. The vanilla adds a certain sweetness that the chocolate can't provide, and the sugar helps to ward off the cocoa's natural bitterness."

He gave it a final stir, testing the consistency with his spoon, and then fetched a mug from the cupboard. Slowly he poured out the steaming cocoa; the mixture was viscous and thick that the final drops had to be scraped from the pan with a spoon. Then, from the fridge he pulled out a covered steel bowl.

"Do you take whipped cream on your cocoa?" He asked as he pulled the wrap off from around the rim.

"Of course. Is that homemade as well?"

He chuckled, "Indeed." He spooned out a glob of the fluffy white cream; the scent of peppermint permeated the air. "I may have anticipated that you would come over this week," he admitted when he saw her inhale the smell. "I made this specifically for you."

A blush spread over her features and the corners of her lips curved upwards. "That was sweet of you. How did you know I love peppermint?"

He paused as we went to put the bowl into the sink. Then, said as if it were obvious, as if he hadn't memorized the taste of her mouth: "I could taste it when we kissed."

Diane's lips were always cool and fresh, her tongue either a taste of peppermint or when they'd go out for lunch she'd order lattes and cappuccinos spiked with winter's breath. Sometimes he could see her in her office pouring the little sweeter into her coffee and he could even smell the trace of peppermint in her car when they drove together.

Her lips parted slightly at his words. His affection caused a warm and saccharine embarrassment to spread from her stomach and into her finger tips.

Affair or not, she had never been with a partner who had studied and memorized the colors of her life as dutifully as Will. She tried to think of what other morsels of detail he had squirreled away for future occasions such as these; it was likely, she thought, that he had noted and stowed all of the things she had not yet noticed about herself, and was saving them for soft moments in a warm, tousled bed. She took a sip of the cocoa so that she might blame her blush on the heat from the drink.

"Good?" he asked as her tongue darted out to swipe a smear of whipped cream from her lips.

There was something about her that contrasted so sweetly with himself, a playfulness that she let slip in his presence, and only his. He watched as she took another sip and nodded. It pleased him immensely that he could share this with her.

"It's wonderful. Thank you for doing this," She gestured to the mug, "I appreciate it, Will."

"I'm glad that you enjoy it." Will smiled at her and she returned it.

She reached out to cup his hand with hers to show her affection, but the sweet solemnity of the moment was broken after a moment by the quirk of Will's lips and the bright flash of spirit in his eyes. His free hand moved its way around her waist, completely circling her hip and pulled her even closer.

"Oh, watch the drink." She chuckled and placed the mug down on the counter, carefully, then let her hands rest on his shoulders.

Content in their warmth and soothed by the balm of companionship, Will slightly lowered his head and melded their lips together sweetly, softly. There would be time for passion later, in the dark heat of the night when the fire burned low and the snow boxed them in. Yet, for now, their gentle touches and still curious explorations due to the newness of their relationship, were _enough_.

Their mouths were rosy when they pulled apart. Will smirked, a cheeky brightness entering his eyes, and stole another peck from her painted lips.

"Tastes like peppermint."


	9. Insanity

**So this is a bit longer and probably a brand of crap as I'm really busy right now to write. Hopefully it's not too much of a let down. Thank you everyone for the reviews! And thank you so much Elle! I'm so happy that these little ficlets make you happy!**

* * *

"Diane."

Diane looked up from her desk, giving Will only the briefest of glances before returning her attention to her paperwork. "Is there something you need, Will? I'm busy."

"We need to talk."

"No, we don't."

Will wasn't surprised by Diane's denial. "Yes, we do," he countered, moving closer and taking a seat in one of the chairs opposite her desk. "You know we do."

"There is nothing to talk about, Will."

"Don't you think you should accept the fact that it happened?"

Diane looked up and glared at him .

"After all," he added, "We did kiss."

"We did not kiss. Last week we got completely intoxicated by alcohol and without thinking you pressed your lips to mine in a manner that could best be described as awkward and bumbling. Then I left. You did nothing."

Will couldn't argue with the accuracy of the description. It was exactly what had happened Saturday, two days ago in her office at the celebratory party. But he took exception to Diane's definition. "Our lips met. That makes it a kiss. And we were not completely intoxicated, just tipsy."

"In my experience, which is admittedly probably not as broad as yours, kissing generally involves some degree of mutuality."

Will pushed his curiosity about Diane's previous kissing experience aside. "What about a kiss on the cheek?"

Diane let out one of her long-suffering sighs. "What about it?"

"No mutuality, does that mean it's not a kiss?" Teasing Diane was more of a temptation than Will could resist. Which, if he thought about it, might provide some clues about how they ended up kissing in the first place.

"Fine, we kissed. Now will you go away and let me work?" Diane muttered after she dropped her head and attempted to focus on work, not the man sitting across from her.

"I think we've been flirting all along but haven't noticed it." Will said, because teasing Diane was way too much fun, and because he was starting to suspect that the teasing wasn't just the old friendly teasing.

Diane looked up at him, appalled and after a moment let out a short chuckle of absurdity, "What?"

"Flirt. I think we flirt."

"What in the world makes you say that?"

Will hadn't expected Diane to disagree with him. After all, Diane was pretty observant. More observant than him, especially when it came to people. "We're always dancing, drinking, teasing."

"And you think that dancing is the same as flirting? Have a glass of scotch or wine with a few laughs? A few teases?"

Diane's voice was completely skeptical, dripping with irritation. Most people would have crumbled up at the sound of it, but Will wasn't most people. "For us."

"I will admit that relationships have never been my forte, but even I know that dancing, drinking and teasing isn't flirting." Diane's tone had softened a little, but not too much that only the irritation was gone.

"Not for normal people. Since when have we ever been normal?" Will laughed at the absurdity now, trying to ease the tension.

"I've always been normal. Listening to you now, I believe that you have never been normal."

"How's that?"

"I'll say it in fewer words." Diane looked up at him over the rim of her glasses. "You believe that dancing, drinking and teasing is flirting, and insults are talking things over."

"I haven't insulted you."

"You just said I wasn't normal." Diane spoke with a gasp to suppress the laughter that wanted to escape her.

"You're not, you're stronger than anyone I know, and you're usually quite proud of that fact. You just don't want to talk about it now because you know I'm right."

Diane opened her mouth to say something but closed it again after letting out a sharp breath.

"Will," Diane said in a resigned tone, "Can't we just forget it?"

"I don't want to forget it."

"I do."

"Why?"

"Why?" Diane stared at him in disbelief.

"Yes, why?"

"Because we work together. Because I don't make a habit of kissing other men. Or even kissing, and I'd rather not start."

"So you would make a habit of kissing men?" Will knew he was pushing, probably too hard, but he couldn't back away from this.

"I wouldn't make a habit of kissing men at all."

"Then why did you kiss me?"

"I didn't kiss you! You kissed me!" Diane threw her glasses down on her desk and stood up.

"I made the first move, fine, I'll admit that. But you could have pulled away but you didn't. In fact you're the one who made it last longer." Will answered back with the same tone and stood up to keep their eyes level.

Diane sighed and tore her eyes away from Will's, trying to find something to distract her with. "I don't know."

Will took a couple of steps around the desk. "You don't know why you kissed me," Will watched her look up and glare at him again, ".. _back_. Why you kissed me back. But I know why I kissed you." he said with a gentleness he hadn't known he had in him.

"It was an impulse. I had been intoxicated. It won't happen again." Diane raised her hands in a surrendering gesture.

"How do you know?"

"Because once was humiliating enough. I have no desire to repeat the experience. Especially if this is your reaction."

"I didn't think it was humiliating."

"Of course not. You were the one that first started the kiss and I held you there."

"Then you can start it the next time and I'll hold you." Will shrugged as if it was nothing.

Diane looked away but after she realized what he said she snapped and looked up at him again. "Are you out of your mind?"

"Possibly," Will conceded.

"Absolutely," Diane countered.

"Kiss me anyway."

Clearly astonished, Diane chuckled out of shock. "No."

"Please."

"What?– Will no."

"Kiss me." He made it a dare, because he couldn't make it anything else...anything else besides a plea.

"Will, we never should have kissed in the first place."

"Did you like it?"

"No."

"That's a shame."

"What do you mean that's a shame?"

"I mean this." Will raised his brow and reached for her.

He placed his arms around her waist and pulled her to him.

"Wi–"

He kissed her and only a few seconds later she slid her hands up his chest and around his neck. Will walked her around without breaking the contact and pushed her slowly backwards until her back connected with the wall next to the second door of her office. After a moment Diane broke the kiss to breath again, and looked up at the ceiling. "We're insane."

"Possibly." Will agreed.

"Definitely."

"I don't care just–"

Diane kissed him again and could herself drifting away to a far off place she's rarely visited.

Insanity.


	10. New Years Eve, a Pool and a Kiss

**I borrowed the dress Christine wore in 2011 to the Annual Screen Actors Guild.**

* * *

 _Ten._

The countdown had begun.

 _Nine._

The voices of the crowd at the swank rooftop bar carried over to where Will and Diane stood by the edge of the pool, enveloped in a pocket of relative solitude.

 _Eight._

His gaze slid over to her and lingered there. She was so beautiful it made his breath hitch in his chest a little.

 _Seven._

Diane was dressed in a long, standing there in a red tight fitted gown, bathed in moonlight.

 _Six._

She caught him looking at her and smiled in a way that sent a shiver up and down his spine.

 _Five._

They were finished with this stage of the con. Done for the night. Unofficially off the clock.

 _Four._

The others would be making their way downstairs to the lobby by now, but there was no rush, really.

 _Three._

They had a moment.

 _Two._

And hell, it was New Year's, right?

 _One._

Will leaned in for a kiss.

Diane tensed. And then she shoved him. Hard.

The celebrations started as he fell into the pool. December turning January in Chicago was never an option to be swimming outdoors in an unheated pool. The water was so cold it felt like his lungs were going to seize up.

He sputtered to the surface and shook the water out of his eyes. "Diane!"

She stared down at him, wide-eyed. "I'm sorry! I wasn't expecting it, I reacted on instinct. It's your own fault anyway."

"It's New Year's, woman! It's a damn tradition!"

"I said I'm sorry," she said, biting back a grin.

He threw his hands up. "Are you gonna stand there laughing at me all night or are you gonna gimme a hand out of this pool before I freeze to death?" She leaned down and stuck out her hand to help him up. Will grasped it, grinned up at her evilly, and pulled.

Diane squealed as she tumbled headfirst into the water in her dress and stilettos. A moment later she popped to the surface beside him, red-faced, and proceeded to start hitting him with her smaller, yet surprisingly effectual fists.

"That was mean!" she said but she quit beating on him, for the time being, anyway.

He smirked at her. "Turnabout's fair play, my friend."

The revelers at the bar had begun singing Auld Lang Syne, their drunken chorus punctuated by the occasional peal of laughter. Somehow, even though it was freezing, neither Will nor Diane made a move to get out of the pool.

"I never saw the point of celebrating New Year's," she said. "What's the big deal about another year anyway?"

He rolled his eyes. "The point is that the way you spend New Year's Eve is supposed to set the tone for the rest of the year. So at midnight you kiss the person you care the most about in the hopes that you'll get to spend the whole year with them."

"Oh," she said, furring her brow. "That's sort of nice."

"Yeah, it is."

He maneuvered a little closer. When that seemed to go over okay he reached out, tentatively, and brushed a strand of wet hair out of her face. She didn't flinch and she didn't tense up. In fact, he was pretty sure he felt her turn her cheek into his touch.

"So," he ventured. "If I try to kiss you again are you gonna push me back under the water and try to freeze me to death again?"

She shrugged. "Guess you'll have to try it to find out."

He decided to take his chances. This time when he leaned in she wrapped her arms around his neck and met him halfway. Her lips were cold but sweet. Sweet enough to make him forget about the fact that he was freezing damn near to death.

"How about we head home and get out of all these soaked clothes?" Will asked after he'd pulled back and nodded.

"Seems like a good idea."

And in the end, after they'd helped each other remove their soaked clothes and celebrated the beginning of their new year with one another in only a way they could celebrate, they lay in bed, curled up next to each other, once again warm.

"Happy New Year." Diane whispered breathlessly against his lips and kissed him, his hand running through her hair.

Diane pulled away again with a smile and Will smiled back, giving her another soft peck before mumbling. "It sure as hell is."


	11. Visitors, Cheesecakes and Kisses

**Forgive me for this brand of crap amd also for how long it's taken me to update this series! Hopefully this will make some of you forgive me, but if not, don't fret! There are more updates to come!**

* * *

"What are you doing?"

"Cooking, or baking shall we say."

Diane scoffed slightly out of surprise, leaned against the doorway of her kitchen and folded her arms.

"Will Gardner. Baking."

"Yep. You like strawberry, don't you?"

"Strawberry? Well, I guess so." She pushed off the doorway and walked into the kitchen.

"Ah ah ah." Will turned and dropped the butter knife onto the counter, then took hold of Diane's upper arms to stop her from seeing what he was doing.

"Will–"

"No." He disagreed with her and continued to cut her off every time she tried to protest.

"Will–"

"No."

"Will."

Diane unfolded her arms and placed them on his chest in an attempt to stop him from pushing her backwards.

"Will, stop. Just because I'm a bit under the weather doesn't mean you need to go and cook for me."

"Yes, and no matter how many times you say that, I will still ignore it." He nodded with an idiotic smile and she nodded her head back at him.

"I need to make sure you haven't put in the wrong ingredients." She lied, but knew he could see right through her.

"I'm using your cook book. I'm certain you wouldn't keep it if it's wrong." He gave her another smile, a teasing one this time. She eventually gave in and began to smile foolishly, until he had her backed up against the island.

Diane stared at him questioningly, almost daring him with her eyes. He sent the look back at her and she swallowed hard. Will inched his face closer and just as he was about to press his lips to hers there was a knock on her front door.

"I should get that." Diane quickly spoke and he nodded and backed away from her. She walked down the hallway towards her door and delicately placed a strand of hair behind her ear. When she opened it she was surprised to see the visitor.

"David?"

"Diane. So good to see you."

Diane was forced to step back when he uninvitedly walked in her door.

"I thought I'd drop this off. Just something small from the café around the corner." He handed Diane a paper bag and continued towards the kitchen.

"David–"

"Now about that case, the Winslow divorce, I was thinking– Will?" David stopped point blank in the doorway of the kitchen and Diane rolled her eyes.

Will looked at Diane who was behind David and she nodded. She squeezed passed David and walked into the kitchen. "David."

"Why are you here?"

Diane looked at Will and before David had a chance to assume things she answered herself. "He just stopped by to see how I was doing."

"Looks like he was doing more than that." He muttered and Diane glared at him.

"What do you need about that case David?"

"I need your files."

"My files? I'm not on that case, David."

"You're not?"

"No. Al.." Diane stopped and looked at Will for confirmation and he nodded. "Alicia has them."

"Oh what a mistake. I should get going." He sarcastically replied and turned. As he walked down the hallway he called out. "Guess I'll be seeing you two at the office tomorrow, or whenever you see fit to come in."

"Oh for the love of f.." Diane muttered and Will only laughed quietly.

When Diane heard her door close she opened the bag and was surprised by the content. "Oh, how did he know my love for cheesecake?" Diane asked and Will stopped with his cooking.

"What?" He almost looked like he'd been caught in the middle of committing a crime.

"He got me cheesecake." Diane smiled and Will groaned.

"Brilliant."

"Why? What's wrong with that?" She inquired innocently.

"I was planning on making you cheesecake."

"I know," she smirked and he looked at her, confused. "That's why I said this banoffee pie was cheesecake."

When Will realized she'd played him he leaned forward on the island and placed his face in his hands. Diane watched him closely, still smiling and Will looked up at her. "What do you do if someone chases you?"

Diane was taken aback at the suddenness of the question. "Run?"

"Mhmm. So what should you be doing now?" He grinned at her and she thought carefully before running around to the opposite side if her island.

"You're going to burn my house down!" She laughed and he shrugged, turned around and turned off the switch of the oven. Diane only blinked and Will had began chasing her around the kitchen. Her laughter was bright throughout the house until he looped his arm around her stomach and yanked her back to him.

He chuckled in her ear before gently pushing her back against the island. He pressed his lips to hers and she leaned further back against the island, using her hands on his shoulders to pull his body closer against hers. She tilted her head, deepening the kiss and his hands ran over her back.

"I was so looking forward to that cheesecake." Will mumbled and she looked up at him, waiting. "But I think it can wait because _you_ taste so much better."

Her laughter was cut off by another kiss and her arms wrapped around his neck again.


	12. A Thump in the Night

**Originally posted separately.**

* * *

It was one of those rare, perfect nights.

Wispy clouds played across the sky, failing to obscure light from the moon and stars. The temperature was low and that one of a kind smell that lingered after a spring rain masked the typical city odors, making the brick and glass world feel just that much closer to nature.

Usually the constant buzz of traffic would overwhelm the night, but at such a late hour only a handful of cars wove their way through the maze of buildings. Lockhart/Gardner was equally quiet, the building standing silent guard over the night as the floors remained free of any fussy lawyers, ringing phones and staff meetings.

Inside, the halls were dark, just the faint bit of light making the area that bit gloomy. A dull thump, thump, thump, echoed through the floor above. Ticking its way towards the midnight hour, the clock seemed louder than usual as it fought for dominance against the steady beat. Someone, or more accurately two someones if the muted argument woven between the sounds could be believed, remained in the building.

"I am _not_ doing _that_."

The feminine voice was harsh, a whisper forced through clenched teeth. The masculine counterpart that responded was much louder and merrier sounding.

"So you haven't done it before?"

Quiet, in which the rhythmic thumping and the endless ticking resumed their battle, reigned for several moments beyond the door. The door itself was just like many of the doors in the building, yet without the pane of glass in the center. Yellow light escaped through the cracks and gaps along the frame, and a white-lettered plaque detailed what sort of room was being guarded by this particular door. This plaque had only one word on it. Laundry.

"That's not the point," the female voice said.

"You haven't! I knew it."

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't not say it."

There was a frustrated sound from the woman, the kind one makes in the back of their throat when they have only angry words to say but are too polite to utter them. The man chuckled, and her response was swift.

The sound of a fist hitting flesh is unique. A combination of the sharpness one hears in a slap and a low-pitched thud. She hit him twice, and her voice seemed louder as the door handle turned.

"We are not having this conversation."

"Diane," his voice was just on the other side of the door as well, and a scuffle ensued that resulted in the door being tugged ajar. The voices twisted around one another in a jumble of words and phrases as the two people fought.

"Let go of me," she said.

Two more thuds were heard as the door swung slowly open on hinges that had been mounted slightly off kilter. The yellow light from two flickering fluorescent bulbs spilled into the hallway as the interior of the laundry room was revealed. Will Gardner stood across from the door in a pair of gym shorts and a t-shirt, pinning his partner, who was dressed in a pantsuit and blouse, against the washer. With both of her wrists held behind her back by his hands, he was attempting to maneuver his struggling partner onto the still thumping dryer.

"No, you need to do this," he argued, using his body to block an escape attempt and releasing Diane's wrists to grab her around the waist.

"How old are you twelve?" She asked through gritted teeth.

As he lifted her feet off the floor, Diane squealed, twisting her body back and forth in a futile attempt to loosen Will's hold on her. "Put me down, Will. Put me down, now!"

He did, perching her silk clad rear onto the dryer and holding her there by her hips. With his eyebrows flirting with his hairline, he gave her a serious look. "You're not allowed out of this room until you try it."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Diane scowled at him. "I'm not doing it here. If you want to do it so badly, pull the clothes out of the dryer, and we'll go back to your place."

"Why my place?" He asked.

"Because it's inappropriate to do it here. What happens if someone walks in and sees us? The humiliation. And I'm not doing this on my washer." Diane explained as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Inappropriate," Will scoffed. "Diane, if having a little fun with me is inappropriate then how do you explain our years of being partners and, might I remind you, friends? And we're all alone. No intruders." He grinned.

"You know what I meant."

Will stepped back, crossing his own arms over his chest to mimic her. The room was warm, the dryer set to medium high, and the back of his shirt was damp with sweat from the exertion of wrestling with his partner in an aim of getting her up here in the first place. His eyes, which might have begged her once, were unyielding, and he frowned.

"No, I don't," he said.

The clock ticked a little louder, all three hands winding their way past another hour, and Diane tried a different tactic. "Look, I'm tired. You're tired. We had a really long day in court, can I please just go home? My bed is calling. I promise I'll try it someday."

Will sniffed, and one of his eyes twitched. "Guilt, really? That's what you went for."

She dropped the act and curled her lip. "The answer is no, William."

It was Will's turn to lay on the emotion. Stepping forward until he was standing between her knees, He ran his hands lightly up her legs and to her sides. His voice seemed to drop an octave, and it almost was lost under the steady sounds coming from the dryer.

"Come on, Diane. If you don't do it with me, who are you going to do it with? Just this once. I promise you'll have fun. Or there's always your desk."

Diane swallowed hard, and Will tilted his head, his mouth forming the tiniest of smiles as he added, "Please?"

Her nod was almost imperceptible, and Will reacted as though a switch had been flipped in his brain. Whooping loudly, his hands gripped her heels and gently pulled them from her stocking clad feet and dropped them to the floor with care. He placed his hands on her waist, and he lifted her as high as he could, waiting until she got her feet under her to step back with a grin as wide as his face.

"Yes, thank you," he said. "You know what to do?"

Standing on top of the dryer and covering her face with both hands, Diane shook her head. "What did I get myself into?" she murmured before responding, "Yes, I know what to do."

Will clapped his hands together, the sharp sound echoing down the hallway. "Okay. Do you want some mood music?"

"Sure," she deadpanned.

"Ba bananana nana na, Ba bananana nana," he sang, his arms rotating at his sides and his head bopping as he got into it.

Diane laughed, shaking her head at her partner and herself as she took a deep breath. "You ready, because I'm only doing this once?" she warned.

Will nodded, not even pausing in providing the beat as she took a second, steadying breath. Her cheeks flared bright pink and Will's grin grew. Finally, after another round of Will's backdrop music, Diane rotated and edged backwards until the edge of the dryer was under her heels.

As the dryer hummed and thumped and gently rocked beneath her, Diane's voice hitched as she said a little too loudly, "You ready?"

"Ready," Will replied.

Without his off-key tenor providing mood music the room was very quiet. Diane could hear Will shifting his feet in preparation. She fell backwards, her hands covering her face and a shriek tearing itself from her lips as she let gravity do its thing and pull her off of the dryer. Will's arms were there to catch her, her momentum sending him stumbling back into the wall beside the laundry room door with her clutched securely to his chest.

He slid to the floor, big bubbles of laughter erupting from his chest. Diane was in shock for a few moments before she, too, started laughing. The merry sound drowned out the thumps from the dryer, and the slow, methodical tick, tick, ticking of the clock down the hall. And it was punctuated by a soft, feminine voice, asking if they could do it again.

 **Thanks for R/R**


	13. Kiss me

**For my muse, Kelsey / Kinkmekingston. This is basically her idea and the person who inspired me to write this.**

A small crowd consisting of both Diane and Will's secretaries and a few paralegals were outside Diane's office, peering in and muttering amongst themselves as the partners voices came through the closed doors. Diane and Will were standing apart, involved in a fiercely heated argument about a case and client of theirs.

"What were you thinking?" He spat, waving some sheets in his hand.

"I was thinking about our case!" Diane shouted back at him.

"Jesus Diane! How does being caught up close and personal with our client in public help our case?" Will threw the papers down on the table.

Diane watched as they flew everywhere, some landing on her desk, others on the floor. Her eyes moved back to Will, her eyes first landing on his clenched fists, then moving to his eyes.

"What are you talking about?" She asked, completely confused at the turn in the conversation.

"I saw it. You and John last night." Will said exasperatedly.

"John and I.. you think I slept with him?" She asked appalled, her hands coming to rest on her hips.

"Well it was very clear that's where you're night was leading from the way you were falling all over him."

"I wasn't _falling_ over anyone." Diane growled angrily.

"That's not what I saw last night. What if I weren't the only one passing by _The Whistler_ last night? What if Brody or Cary were and saw you with the man you're defending?"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Diane if Brody finds out, what a record he'll have in calling you out for sleeping with another client. McVeigh was a once off, you agreed to that. How do you thing the case and the firm will look? How you will look for Christ sake! The last thing we need is you and this firm getting a reputation of sexually bribing clients to win cases!"

The room fell silent, the only thing that could be heard was Will's erratic breathing. Both were frozen still. Diane stalked towards him, her hand raising and connecting with the flesh of his cheek and producing a loud, painful slap. His head jerked to the side and Will did nothing to turn it back, his eyes closed.

"How dare you!" She snapped, her eyes still on his closed ones, partially hoping he'd turn to look at her and see how much his statement hurt her, partially hoping he wouldn't.

Eventually he did look at her, and she threw him a disgusted look. "My evening was purely business but in a relaxed manner. I was offered a drink, and I accepted, hoping our client would reveal something further about the case because I was having doubts he was telling us all there was to know. If you want to regard that as sexual bribery, then be my guest." She snapped, grabbed her coat and bag from her desk, and walked to the door, swinging the door open and storming out to the elevator. The crowd outside moved to let her pass, each sharing a worrisome look with each other as they looked between both partners.

Will remained still, recalling the event before he moved to her desk, placing his hands down on the glass and leaning forward, bowing his head. He went too far, and he knew he was out of line. But he can't deny how much damage she could have caused to their case today. He sighed, shaking his head in disappointment of his accusations. The mutters of the few people outside only increased his disappointment. The last thing he needed was to embarrass her in front of everyone when she had done nothing wrong exactly.

Suddenly he pushed himself off her desk and breezed out of her office, hurrying towards the elevator, seeing her stepping into the box through the glass panes of the conference room. He picked up his pace and got to the doors just as they were about to close.

"Diane wait!"

She stood watching him with a stony expression as the doors closed, her hands at her sides and making no movement to reopen the doors. When he saw her reaction he swore loudly and moved to the stairs, quickly hurrying down each flight. When he got to the tenth floor he began to feel the pain in his chest and stopped, but with a quick breath he was continuing on to get down the remaining stairs. By the time he had made it to the lobby, he was sure his lungs were about to collapse. He leaned against the wall beside the elevator, panting loudly as he waited for the box to reach the ground. When the elevator dinged, he straightened up, turning to the box.

Diane stepped out and moved in the direction of the garage, not realizing Will was standing beside the wall behind her. Reaching into her bag, she grabbed her car keys.

"Diane." Will called from behind.

She glanced over her shoulder in surprise, but continued walking. Ignoring his calls, she continued into the garage, listening to his footsteps approaching her from behind.

"Diane wait." He said more forcefully, hurrying down the steps into the garage.

Catching up to her, he placed his hand on her shoulder, forcing her to turn and face him.

"What?" She spat, unwilling to give him any more of her time.

She was still trying to walk away from him, so he pushed her back against the wall, acknowledging the shocked looked on her face. He opened his mouth to say something, but his jaw continued to open and close as he lost the words to say. His eyes suddenly drifted to her crimson shaded lips.

"What?" She repeated, her tone still stern, but softer than previously. From the look he was giving her her heart started beating so wildly in her chest that she was sure he could hear it.

"I- I-" he nodded, eyes still on her lips.

"Kiss me."

"What?" He looked to her eyes again, surprised at her demand but always willing to fulfill it with permission.

"Kiss me," she lowered her voice, but it was just as fierce as her tone during their argument. "I know you want to."

His eyes fell to her lips and then returned to her eyes again, seeking the permission he need. "Please," she almost openly begged, breathing out loudly.

Will moved forward, pressing his body and his lips against hers, softly as first, but when she opened her lips to slide against his he increased the intensity and soon he was hungrily swallowing her kisses. A muffled cry came from her as he pressed her further against the wall, one of his hands moving from her hip to her neck while the other curled around her hip to pull her in closer. Her hands grasped his cheeks, deepening the kiss before pulling away slowly. He slumped against her gently, his breath hot against her cheek.

"I didn't sleep with John." She murmured, disappointed that she had to actually tell him and that he didn't respect her enough to know she wouldn't do such thing.

Will grimaced. "I know, I was just worried about the case."

"No," she sighed, resting her chin on his shoulder. "This had nothing to do with the case." Will pulled back to look at her, about to speak but she interjected him. "Tell me the truth."

He let his head fall about with a sigh. "I saw how he looked at you. I got jealous seeing you together." He admitted, and Diane smirked.

"Thank you for that confession." She chuckled quietly, pressing her lips to his again.

"Thank you for asking me to do something I've been wanting to for a very long time." He murmured in between kisses.

"Mhmm." She hummed against his lips. "Glad we felt the same way."


End file.
